Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-02
THE RICHMOND DISPATCH SUNDAY. OCTOBER g. 1887.

ments were made with the undertaken
for a burial at Calvary cemetery. All
that was necessary TO complete the ar
Engagements was the death certificate
from the hospital authorities, and the
wife went there in the morning before
the funeral for the purpose of obtain
ing this. She was met by a young doc
tor, attired in the latest style, who re-
piled to her mild request by saying:
A SAD EXPERIENCE.
"We'll give You a certificate pro-
vided you will allow us to perform an
autopsy on the body Of your husband,
otherwise we can't do it. We want to
learn the actual cause of death.
"Wby. he died Of heart-disease. He
has been troubled with that for a long
time" said the poor woman.
"Ch, be has, has hep" returned the
dandy. "Wcll, we can't certify to
that. No autopsy, no certificate"
OF course his object was to secure
body for the dissectibg-knife. All the
wOman's ontreatics and pleadings were
in vain. She went home with heavy
beat, and would undoubtedly have
given in to the cruel demands Of the
doctor had not a friend advised her TO
appeal 10 the Board OF Health. She
did so and was referred to the cOroner's
Office. There she was informed that
the doctor must give her q certificate,
and Coroner Eidman agreed TO push
the matter thr ugh The next day at
noon, two hours after the time set for
the funeral, the certificate was received.
] he undertaken had TO hurry through
with his arrangements, and it was late
in the afternoon when the start was
made for the cemetery. 1t was dark by
the time they reached there, and only
through the kindness Of the keeper
were they enabled to proceed with the
ceremony Through tie brutality of
the doctor they had lost time and
money and had been plunged into
anxiety.
Yet their experience was gentle com
pared with that of many poor persons
III New York. Bellevue Hospital fur
Dishes more instances Of aggravated
cruelty OF this nature than any other,
although nearly all the hospitals in
dulGe il this style Of backmail. It is
really nothing l"as. The hospital doc
tors usual mode o. obtaining cOmpli-
ance with their demands is clearly
violation OF the criminal laws of the
State and ought to be punished as such
The friends of the deceased patient are
informed that unless they agree to an
autopsy they cannot get the certificate.
If they refuse to agree to this and in
sist upon having the certificate the
doctors viii give one; but they will,
unless afraid OF the consequences, in
variably attribute the cause Of death to
alcoholism, although they are well
aware that they are thus certifying to a
faisohocd.
HARD OK TIE POOR.
In this way they wrcak their petty
revenge upon the poor persons who do
not want to bave the bodies of their
relatives cut to pieces. The doctors
know that such death certificate will
not be received by many Of the best
cemeteries and take satisfaction in pre-
venting the poor relatives from inter
mig tie body where they wish.
it would seem at first glance that
such practices would not be permitted
10y the elder doctors, who have repula-
tons to lose and 90 not need to expert
ncLt upon the dead bodies Of the poor
hut rs a matter Of fact the men OF real
tminencc are only consulting physi-
clans and Lave no control over the con-
duct oF the younger men.
frequently the relatives, ignorant Of |
their rights, submit to the demands of |
the doctols. In speaking of this the |
chief clerk of the coroner's Office LAID |
particular stress upon the fact that in |
Eelleyue. the city hospital, these out |
RACES were most frequent. There are |
always more unclaimed bodies there |
than are needed for dissecting pur- |
poses, but the young physicians seem
TO take pleasure in torturing the poor |
people. The coroners have frequently |
been called upon TO interfere in cases
where the doctors conduct was par
ticularly outrageous A frequent trick
where it is known that the relatives are
making a fight for the body is to tell
them that the doctor who had charge of
the case is ont. That compels them to
call so frequently as to interfere seri-
Dusly with their work. 1t has some
times happened that by this means a
poor man has lost his employment and
been reduced to the verge of stafva-
ion. Fiendish cruelty Of this kind
needs correction by the strong hand Of
.he Law.
SOME MARTIAL FIEANCIERs.
1t is not without interest to consider
he military element in Wall street
Soldiers as a rule seem to make good
1t is not necessary to enter
nto theories touching the reasons for
he financial success of those who have
III the field it will be suf-
icient to recognize the fact. The mis-
ortunos of General Grant in financial
Enterprises merely form one of the
EXCEPTIONS which seem to prove the
ule. The First Napoleon, it is well
,nowp, was a businessman of
lie highest order. He could turn
rom brilliant strategy to the question
# shoes for his soldiers or hundred
,thor details really of business ma
uIe, including the awarding OF con-
racts and the delivery of supplies.
IND the only unbusinesslike circum-
taEce in this connection recorded of
i'm was the hanging, by his order, of
everal contractors for not delivering
,oods on time, yet it is worthy of note
hat this .Napoleonic innovation led to
more businesslke promptnessonth the part
# other contractors in keeping thGr en-
with him. Napoleon would
ave won fortune simply as a bust
Wellington was also a busi-
ess-man of the first order. Military
discipline seems similar in many re-
poets to the discipline necessary to
achievements that lead on
o fortune. And this seems true not
merely of the great commanders whose
James will shine bright in history till
he present civilization shall go down
u the darkness that ensbrouds the
qually proud civilizations of antiquity,
nut of the martial figures of lesser note
whose names are unknown to the multi
ude, though they may be known to the
Military student.
GENERAL SAMUEL THOMAS,
resident of the East Tennessee, Vir-
inia and Georgia road, with head
quarters at New York, is a financier Of
bility. Years ago ho was an Ohio law
er. He became identified with rail-